The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-05-14

consistent with the old Welsh saying
which signifies that you may know a
gentleman by his horse, his hawk and
his greyhound. Notwithstanding its
high rank, Froissart makes mention of
this fact, not much to the credit of the
fidelity of the species: "When that I'M
happy prince, Richard the Second, was
taken to Flint castle, his favorite grey
hound Immediately deserted him, and
fawned upon his rival Bolingbroke as
if he understood and foreknew the mis-
fortunes of his former master. This
act of ingratitude was noted by the I'M
fortunate monarch, who declared it to
be the precursor of his death"
Hawking was one of the favorite of
the ancient royal diversions, and adj
mitted of participation by the fair sex,
by whom it was greatly enjoyed. 1t
displayed their skill and gracefulness
in the saddle to the greatest advan-
tage, although serious drawback was
the risk incurred, in following the
hounds, of broken limbs, and "a multi
tude of bruises and disasters" 1t has
at various times at later periods been
attempted to revive this sport, but its
dangers have probably interfered with
its permanency as a pastime for ladies.
The Duke and Duchess of st. Adams
introduced falconry at the fetes at Holly
lodge, Highgate, some fifty years ago,
wit, hut . I'll,
a failure.
Falconry in England can not be
traced with certainty until the reign of
King Ethelbert, the Saxon monarch, in
$50. The Grand Segnior at one time
kept six thousand falconers in his
service. Britain and Thrace are the
only countries in which we have any
evidence that this diversion was an
GENTLY carried on, and of the latter Pliny
obscurely alludes to it as being confined
to one particular district. Gibbon OBJ
serves that hawking was scarcely known
to the Romans in the days of Vesparian.
From curious but well authenticated
passages of history it appears that the
invasion of England by the Danes was
caused by the assassination of Lodbrog,
the father of Hinguar and Hubba, who
embarked with his hawks and hounds,
and, being driven on the coast of Nor
folk, grew so much in favor with the
King of the East Angles for his skill in
hawking that Benre, the King s falconer,
murdered him through jealousy, and
to avenge his death was the first motive
of the landing of the Danes in hostile
array.
That ladies were enamored of the
sport may be gathered from an ancient
sculpture in the church of Milton Alb
has in Dorsetshire, where the consort
of King Athelstan appears with falcon
in her hand, tearing bird. Harold,
afterward King of England, is repre-
sented in portrait going on an i'm
portant embassy with a hawk on his
hand and dog under his arm.
According to Frolssart, King Edward
Ill. had with him in his army thirty
mounted followers carrying birds, be-
sides sixty couples of strong dogs and
as many greyhounds, with which he
hunted every day while on the march
or in camp" During his reign it was
made felony to steal hawk, and to
take its egg by person even in his
own grounds was punishable by i'm
prisonment for year and day, or a
fine, at the Kings pleasure. In the
reign of Queen Elizabeth the imprison-
ment was reduced to three months, but
the offender was obliged to find security
for good behavior for seven years or lie
in prison until he did.
Such was the enviable state of the
far-famed good old
times of England, when people by the
most unjust and arbitrary laws were
subject to capital punishment, fines,
and incarcerations for destroying the
most noXious of the feathered tribe.
Henry ". granted to Sir John Stanley
the Isle of Man, to be held by homage
and service of two falcons, payable on
each coronation day, and Philip de
Hastang held the manor of Camberton,
in Cambridgeshire. by the service of
keeping the Kings falcons.
The species known as the Peregrine
falcon, an inhabitant of most parts of
Europe, Asia, and South America, was,
in the palmy days of hawking, one of
tho favorite falcons chosen for the sport.
Its strength and swiftness are very
great, enabling it to strike down its
prey with great ease. Indeed, it has |
been known to disable five cartridges
in succession.
In some parts of the United States
similar species of hawk, called the duck
hawk, is found deriving its appellation
from its successful pursuit of ducks.
There is popularity in the method of
attack which this bird employs when
pursuing small game. Instead of
merely dashing at its prey and grasping
it with its claws, the Peregrine falcon
strikes its victim with its breast, and |
actually stuns it with the violence of
the blow before selling it with its claws. |
The boldness and ferocity of this bird
are so great that it was generally en-
ployed to take the formidable heron. |
After the heron had been reused from |